Designing A Path Forward

_{Heads up! - If you're not keen on reading about why we're shaking things up with the newsletter, feel free to skip this one. Consider it a sneak peek into why we’re making this decision.}

You will notice a shift in the vibe of the newsletter. Honestly, I'm not sure who I was trying to impress before. When I had my buddies give it a once-over, they were like, "Who talks like that?" And honestly, who wants to read it? It hit home. I'm dead serious about making money and sharing ideas, but you shouldn't need a dictionary to get through my content. This is just me being real. A funny guy with a bit of proofreading and editing help from the tools I've got at hand. 

Let's talk about the rollercoaster ride I've been on with this newsletter and my investment opinions. I'd have these bursts of creativity, you know, where I'm on fire for weeks, but then... crickets. And let me tell you, it takes a toll – physically, mentally, emotionally. Who wants to keep pouring energy into something with zero return? No one, really. You can see it in the published articles – some weeks, I'm posting like crazy on all sorts of topics. Other times? Silence. It's been a journey of reflection and answered prayers to figure out why I'm even doing this. And hey, let's not forget the dozens of articles sitting in the drafts folder, or the failed newsletter attempts that ended up in the trash.

My biggest slip-up? Not giving this newsletter structure. No game plan, no blueprint for readers. I was all over the place, juggling too much at once. Bankfluence was born to be a hub for fun, educational investment opinions, catering to folks who are new to investing and craving an honest take, or those who just don't have the time to dig for ideas like I do. Think of us like a tutoring service, but for finance! Lately, though, I got off track – trying to keep up with others instead of staying true to myself.

Let's talk about the lack of a game plan. One day, I'm dropping weeks' worth of stock research into an article, the next, I'm bombarding you with trading charts. Short-term, medium-term, long-term – I mixed it all up, only to watch some great ideas blow up in my face a few days later. That's on me. We're in an era where info overload is real – you can learn anything in a flash. I wouldn't call myself a "great" trader, but hey, I've had some wins. We've all got our styles. But with all this noise and online opinions, it's easy to doubt your strategy. Markets thrive on short-term hype, but remember – solid homework pays off. Ms. Market will catch up eventually.

So, why am I dropping this article here? Not to freak you out about the investing world out there on the web, or to declare some kind of comeback crusade against others who haven't exactly played fair. Nope, it's simply because I'm finally feeling solid about my plan as Bankfluence. I've always been able to whip up some great stuff, and let's be real, I'm not one to leave things half-done. Yeah, I got a bit carried away with cross-posting stuff, which put you all in a bit of a bind. Moving forward, we're ditching any ideas on "X" (formerly known as Twitter). If that's your jam, this newsletter might not be your vibe. Sometimes, I shared game-changing ideas in the wrong place, and that's not cool.

This game plan lets me connect with those fresh-faced investors, the ones hungry for a straight-up opinion, the ones who trust that if I'm talking about it, I'd put my own cash on the line. Now, just because I write about something doesn't mean I'm all in, or that I'm not at all. We've all got different plays in our playbook. Right now, the market's all over the place. It spread out a bit as we kicked off 2024, but there are some real gems out there going for pennies on the dollar. And I want you to be right there with me, picking your faves, rolling up your sleeves, and diving in without stressing over every tick in the share price. Ever read an investing book? None of the "Great Investors" ever played the five-minute game. Wanna get rich? Call 50 cent. Wanna get wealthy? Stick around with Bankfluence, and we'll bag some amazing deals together.

Now, down the line, Bankfluence will be a paid subscription. Sure, it might seem like we're not quite there yet in terms of value, but check out our Twitter feed – it's been raining cash in the first few months of the year. Those tweets will only hang around long enough for me to gather data, crunch numbers, and lay out Bankfluence's performance so far. After that, the Twitter account's getting a reset, and it's all about the newsletter. If you're loving what we do and wanna ride along on this journey to wealth, maybe pack lunch one extra day a month. It'll be affordable, and as we go, I'll spill more beans about what to expect, the pricing tiers, and how I'll still drop some freebies now and then for those who want a taste.

If you've ever splurged on a Chipotle lunch even once a month, then you've got this subscription covered. What's a bowl with guac, chips, and a drink setting you back these days? At $3000 a share ($CMG), it's gotta be around $20 a pop, if not more. Well, guess what? The Bankfluence subscription will cost you less than that per month. So, pack your lunch for work just one day, and you won't even feel the auto-draft hitting your account.

To make sure Bankfluence can keep delivering top-notch opinions while sticking to our strategy, we're gonna keep things free for a little longer. Once I'm confident I can keep the value flowing in the newsletter while living my life, we'll switch to paid subscriptions only. For too long, I've been glued to every market tick, wasting precious time stressing over intraday price swings when, in the grand scheme, they don't mean squat. Am I gonna be as chill as an ETF? Nah. Will we be as hyperactive as day traders? Nope. We're aiming for that sweet spot in the middle – the one that pumps out more value and wealth. My job? To snag it for you and serve it up in fun, informative articles. Ever tried sitting down and diving into a 10-K filing? Trust me, "fun" isn't the first word that comes to mind. So let's tap into our resources and make your investing journey a breeze.

Tomorrow, I'm diving deep into the numbers, crunching the performance of ideas from both the newsletter and Twitter. After all, what's the point of a paid subscription if it's not putting money in your pocket, right? Just by glancing at the charts, I can tell we've hit some home runs and swung and missed a few times too. I'm itching to see how everything stacks up overall. Unfortunately, thanks to the posting limits on Beehiiv, I won't have the newsletter ready until this time tomorrow. But hey, it'll give you something to mull over after dinner!

-Bank